Tool for reloading shotgun shells



R. A. THOMPSON TOOL FOR RELOADING SHOTGUN SHELLS Filed y 9, 1960 FIG. 3 H35 II -'/4 s /5 INVENTOR Ra/Ph 4. Thompson f WAM ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates to a tool for reloading shotgun shells and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a highly simplified, compact and lightweight tool for the above purpose which may be used by the hunter in the field without difficulty, and which tool is reliable and efficient in operation, easy to manipulate and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following descrip tion.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a shotgun shell reloading tool according to the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a depriming punch forming a part of the tool, 7

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the use of the tool for depriming a shell casing,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elev-ational view, partly in section, showing the use of the tool for repriming the shell casing,

FIGURE 5 is a further side elevational view, partly in section, of the tool illustrating a first stage of crimping a reloaded shell casing,

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the tool showing a second or final crimping operation,

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a second stage crimping plunger removed,

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a modified formof tool according to the invention.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown preferred embodiments of the invention, attention is directed first to FIGURES 1 through 7, wherein the numeral 10 designates an elongated cylindrical bar body portion of a proper diameter to fit snugly within a shotgun shell casing. The bar body portion 10 is provided in one end and centrally thereof with a screwthreaded recess 11, adapted to receive the enlarged screwthreaded end portion 12 of an elongated depriming pin or punch 13 of the proper diameter to engage the primer of a spent shotgun shell. The punch 13 is adapted to project axially beyond the end of the bar body portion 10 while in use, FIGURE 3.

The other end of the body portion 10 carries an enlarged cylindrical tubular head 14, integral therewith, and having a cylindrical bore 15 opening through the outer end of the head 14. A reduced cylindrical recess 16 in the end portion of the bar 10 communicates with the enlarged bore 15, and a conically tapered shoulder 17 is formed at the bottom of the head '14, between the bores 15 and 16. The shoulder 17 constitutes a first crimping element used during the operation of the device, as will be described.

A relatively short cylindrical crimping plug 18 is slidably mounted within the bore 16 and is preferably coextensive therewith. This plug 18 has a transverse opening 19 extending therethrough near its longitudinal center for the reception of a transverse operating pin or handle 20, pressed or otherwise detachably secured within the opening 19 and extending through the plug 18 and beyond opposite sides thereof. The body portion 10 has a pair of longitudinal slots 21 formed therethrough on opposite sides of the bore 16, slidably receiving the pin as 3,033,070 Patented May 8, 1962 shown. When the plug 18 is engaging the bottom wall 22 of the bore 16, FIGURE 3, the pin 20 is engaging the inner ends of the slots 21, as shown. The plug 18 and pin 20 may reciprocate axially within the bore 16 an amount limited by the length of the slots 21, so that one end portion of the plug 18 may be shifted into the enlarged bore 15- beyond the shoulder 17, FIGURE 6.

In the use of the tool for reloading a shotgun shell, the paper body portion of an old shell casing of the high base type may be cut olr so that the brass shell portion 23, FIGURE 3, may be employed as an anvil with its open end facing upwardly and its lower end resting upon a flat surface. The depriming punch 13 is threaded into the screw-threaded recess 11, and the adjacent end portion of the cylindrical bar 10' is inserted into the open end of the shell casing 24 to be reloaded, FIGURE 3. The punch 13 will now engage the old primer 25 of shell casing 24, and the brass end of the latter rests upon the anvil 23 as shown in FIGURE 3. The head 14 of the tool may now be struck with the hand or with a mallet, and the punch 13 will readily drive out the old primer 25 and the latter will drop into the anvil 23. Depriming may also be done by placing the brass end of the shell casing 24 on the edge of a flat support surface and striking the head 14 of the tool with the hand. When this is done, the anvil 23 is not used.

The bar 10 and punch 13 are now removed from the shell casing 24 and the punch :13 is detached from the bar 10. The shell casing 24 is again applied over the cylindrical bar 10, FIGURE 4, until the end of the bar 10 engages the shell base wadding 24'. A new primer 26 is placed in an upstanding position upon a firm level surface 27, and the opening 25 of the deprimed shell is brought into registration with the new primer 26. The upper end or head 14 is now struck with the hand or an implement to drive the shell casing 24 downwardly, and the new primer 26 will pass readily into the opening 25' and remain therein due to frictional engagement. The bar 10 is now again disengaged from the shell casing 24, and the shell has been primed.

With reference to FIGURE 5, the shell casing 24 is now charged with the proper measured amount of powder, additional wadding, and shot, and placed in an upright position upon a level supporting surface with its upper end open. The upper end of the paper shell casing 24 has the usual 6-way fold 29 to produce the well known star-crimp.

The tool is inverted, FIGURE 5, and the enlarged tubular head 14 is telescoped downwardly over the open :end of the shell casing, and the tapered shoulder 17 engages the folded end of the shell casing, as shown, and crimps the same inwardly, uniformly around the circumference of the shell casing as shown in FIGURE 5, so that the upper end of the shell casing 24 is conically formed or tapered during the first stage crimping operation. The second stage crimping plunger 18 is at this time held by the pin 20 at the upper limit of its travel, FIGURE 5. When the tubular head 14 is thus applied over the top of the shell casing 24, FIGURE 5, the tool is preferably rotated, and this improves the operation. The first crimping stage of FIGURE 5 partially closes or crimps the shell casing, as shown.

With reference to FIGURE 6, and while the tubular head 14 is still engaged over the shell 24, the handle or pin 20 is now pushed downward-1y in the slots 21 with the crimping plunger 18, and the lower end of the latter completes the crimping and closing of the shotgun shell as shown clearly in FIGURE 6. The folded portions 29 of the shell casing will now assume a flat interfitting relation to completely close the end of the shell casing, FIG- URE 6. As a final step, heavy pressure may be applied 3 to the head 14 and to the handle 20 and the tool is rotated one or more turns upon the shell 24 when the same has been fully crimped, FIGURE 6. The tool is not rotated at the time that the crimping plunger 18 is shifted downwardly by the handle 20. The tool is now removed and the shell 24 is reloaded and ready for use.

In FIGURE 8, there is shown a modification of the invention, wherein a cylindrical bar portion 30 is provided, corresponding to the bar 10, and the removable depriming punch 13 is detachably secured to one end of the bar portion 30 in the exact manner described in connection'with the first form of the invention.

A tubular enlarged head 31 separate from the bar portion 30 is provided, having the enlarged cylindrical recess or bore 15, conically tapered shoulder 17 and reduced cylindrical bore 16. A cylindrical second stage crimping plunger 32 is slidably mounted within the bore 16, and is integrally connected with the bar portion 30 through a reduced cylindrical neck 33, slidable through a central opening in an annular locking ring 34, suitably rigidly secured to the inner end of the tubular head 31. The plunger 32 takes the place of the separately formed plunger 18 in the first form of the invention, and the pin 20 and slots 21 are dispensed with. The tool of FIGURE 8 is essentially formed of only two moving parts which cannot become separated or lost.

The operation of the tool in FIGURE 8 for reloading the shell 24 is essentiallyidentical to the previously described operation of the tool shown in FIGURES 1 through 7. I

The steps of depriming and reprinting the shell, FIG- URES 3 and 4, are carried out in the identical manner by means of the elements 3% and '13. The first stage crimping of the shell shown in FIGURE 5 is carried out in the same manner utilizing the tubular head 31 and crimping shoulder 17'. Finally, the second stage crimping or final closing of the shell in FIGURE 6 is done with the plunger 32 and head 31 in substantially the identical manner shown in FIGURE 6 and previously described.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An manually operated tool for reloading shotgun shells comprising a unitary elongated cylindrical bar body portion having one end adapted for insertion in an open shell casing, a primer punch detachably secured to said one end of the bar body portion and extending axially beyond said one end, an enlarged cylindrical tubular head integrally secured to the opposite end of the bar body portion and having a cylindrical bore engageable snugly over the shell casing, the bar body portion having a cylindrical recess in said opposite end communicating directly with the bore of said head and being of considerably smaller diameter than the bore of said head and concentric therewith, a conically tapered crimping shoulder formed at the juncture of said bore and recess and at the inner end of said bore, a cylindrical crimping plug slidably mounted for reciprocation within said recess and being somewhat shorter axially than the length of said recess so that the plug may lie bodily within the recess and inwardly of said tapered shoulder, said plug having a transverse through opening intermediate its opposite ends, said bar body portion having a pair of diametrically opposed axially elongated slots formed through its side wall adjacent said recess and communicating with the recess, the inner ends of said slots spaced from the bottom wall of said recess and the outer ends of said slot-s disposed'near and axially inwardly of said crimping shoulder, and a transverse pin element adapted to serve as a handle extending detachably through the slots and through the opening of the plug and beyond opposite sides'of the body portion, whereby the plug may be held retracted at the bottom of said recess when the pin element is engaging the inner ends of said slots to permit a first stage of crimping of the shell casing by said shoulder, the plug being shiftable by said pin element axially outwardly and beyond said shoulder and into said bore to produce a final stage of crimping of the shell casing, the outer ends of said slots limiting the outward movement of said plug and pin element.

2. A manually operated tool for reloading shotgun j'shells according 'to claim l, and wherein said one end of the bar body portion has a screw-threaded opening formed therein and said primer punch has a screw-threaded portion detachably engageable within said screw-threaded opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 305,195 Jesse et al Sept. 16, 1884 379,853 Brittin Mar. 20, 1888 2,749,791 Miller June 12, 1956 2,854,881 Craft Oct. 7, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 582,271 Canada Sept. 1, 1959 

